The Magic of Camelot
by authorlouise
Summary: AU S5 E1, The Dark Swan. Camelot is the birthplace of magic and home to all mages of both light and dark. Regina journeys back to her homeland with the rest of those interferring idiots in order to save Emma from her fate as the Dark Swan. Will Merlin swoop in to save the day or is it time for Emma to transition to dark magic?


**Regina**

"Apprentice. That monstrosity took Emma. Where did they go?" Hook asked.

"She is now where all darkness is born. In your realm" replied The Apprentice.

Camelot is the birthplace of magic, both light and dark and that was located in our realm. I looked forward to visiting again. It was a place like no other where magic was wielded in the old ways and teemed from every corner.

"Then take us there" commanded Hook.

"I am too weak now, but this will help" said The Apprentice.

He conjured a green wand. It was powerful indeed. I could feel the waves of light Camelot magic. It was pure ancient magic.

"It is a gift from the sorcerer, from Merlin, on the day I became his apprentice. In it is all the light magic" he said.

"It can take us to our daughter?" Snow asked.

"Not on its own. In order to cross realms, it must be wielded as it was forged, with both sides of the coin. Light and the dark" he answered.

Well he wasn't in any condition to perform any sort of magic never mind transitioning.

"I guess that's my cue" I said.

I experimentally waved the wand but nothing happened. It was as I expected. I had gone too far into the light to use both on command.

"Enough! You're going to embarrass yourself and waste our time" Hook said, impatiently.

"Watch it! I know what I'm doing" I shouted.

How dare he challenge me? He may have lived for centuries but I knew more about magic than he could learn in a millenia.

"Well that's not enough. You heard the man, it needs darkness. You've gone soft" he accused.

"You wanna see soft? Why don't I use that hook to show you your intestines?" I asked, in jest.

"Oh, you've got the fire love, but not the blackness, not anymore. How's this for irony? You've done too much good. No, we need someone wicked" he said.

"I said I know what I'm doing. I just need to transition. Shut up and let me concentrate" I ordered.

Of course I could do this. Transitioning to dark would be easy. Coming back to light though would be difficult. My magical balance had been off for so long it was hellish to make it right again. I hadn't believed I could. Furio was right after all. I had the capacity to do light magic. It was just a long and arduous journey to make.

I flexed my muscles and sat down cross-legged to meditate. I cast myself into my soul-scape and dragged the recesses of darkness into the core of my magic. It was hard to maintain a balance. You had to concentrate on one otherwise you would be halving your magical power but if you let it overwhelm one side, like me, then your personality would be compromised. I was never allowed to transition under the eagle-eyed gaze of my mother and Rumpelstiltskin apart from my natural first switch from light to dark. Faced with daily barrages from dark magic I intrinsically switched alignments to save myself.

The murky midnightdarkness enveloped my soul-scape and from that my natural purple hue of dark magic emerged. My dark magic hue was purple because my fiery red mixed with the black of darkness. In my light magic, my red combined with white to get a much lighter shade but still retained quite a bit of dark. I could feel the familiar rush of night. It was such a luring surge of power and I embraced it. It was who I was and still am. Every mage has both sides of the coin. The two halves made a magician whole and you couldn't deny one without consequences.

It was done. The wand throbbed in my hand. It was not at all a good match for me. Light permeated through every hair. I was newly transitioned though. It gave me a moment of infinite power and I couldn't waste it. If I did then there was no way I could portal to The Enchanted Forest.

We left the shop and gathered everyone. Why did we have to have so many questers? There was a limit to my powers. Transporting thirteen people including myself across The Enchanted Forest and realms would certainly test that. I waved the wand and slowly a portal began to form. I pushed more and more power into it, willing the portal to become bigger. I wiped the sweat off my forehead when I could finally let go.

"What are you waiting for? This portal won't stay open forever and if any of you idiots get stuck here I'm not coming back for you" I asked.

I was the first to step over. I wasn't going to trap myself in Wonderland now, was I? Now I was back in this godforsaken land. The only good thing here was that there was more magic in this realm and the fact I was going back to Camelot.

Then there was Emma. She couldn't wait five minutes before succumbing to darkness. There would be no heart crushing today. I had enough of it with my Mother.

"Swan. Don't" pleaded Hook.

"What? How?" Emma asked, surprised.

"It doesn't matter how. Has anything ever stopped me before?" Hook replied.

"You don't know what's happening. This is the only way to find Merlin. He's the only one who can stop the darkness. The only way to protect all of you" She said.

"Put it back, Ms Swan and stop this insanity. Merlin's in Camelot, you imbecile. You know it just so happens I know the way there" I shouted.

By the gods, she was so stupid. A wisp, really? She was relying on a bloody wisp to get her to Camelot? Being the Dark One must make you dim.

"Regina, be careful" said Robin.

"I know what I'm doing" I replied, protesting.

I was a delicate little flower or in other words Snow. I would not be deterred from challenging Emma. She was an idiot. Anyone could see that. I was not afraid of her as a non-magical or as a fledgling light mage. What makes you think I would cower from her now as the Dark One?

"You're lying" she accused.

"Knock it off, Ms Swan. You know I'm not. I have no reason to lie. Put that red menace's heart back in her chest and we can get going" I replied.

Finally she listened to reason and did as I said.

"You okay?" Emma asked.

"Oh, for someone who just now had their heart outside their chest, grand" replied Merida.

"Thank you for... well, sort of understanding" said Emma.

"No, thank you" said Merida.

"There's no time for a cozy chit-chat of who owes who. We need to get going" I said, interrupting.

Oh and of course they just ignored me.

"For what? I nearly killed you" Emma asked, puzzled.

"Well-aware. Thank you for showing me the darkness in you. Reminding me I've got darkness in me, too. I was on my way to kill the people who took my brothers, but maybe... maybe I'll show them mercy... Mercy that can heal my divided land. But someone's gonna get a right good punch to the gut for putting me through this. Then mercy" answered Merida.

Thank god the red haired wonder left. My spark of magic wasn't going to last forever and we needed to get to Camelot. I certainly wasn't going to spend days trekking through the god forsaken wilderness.

"So, are you guys gonna tell me how y'all got here?" Emma asked.

"How do you think? Me" I scoffed.

"Form a chain and make sure you hold on. Trust me you don't want to end up in the Void Between Realms" I said in warning.

It was a place of nothingness that trapped unweary realm jumpers. It was a nightmare trying to escape.

"You knew the way to Camelot? Why didn't you say something?" Emma asked.

"Well I'm sorry that I was a bit busy being possessed by the primeval force of pure darkness at the time and then you had to go all Dark One on me. It's not as if I had the opportunity to. Now grab my hand" I ordered.

I made sure to clasp Emma's. Her Dark One magic would be strong especially as she'd never transitioned. She didn't have any idea how to control the darkness so it would burn in her strongly. When everyone was linked, I began to draw magic from Emma.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked.

"You're the Dark One. You have magic to spare. I've just changed the alignment of my magic, Emma. The boost's wearing off. I need a little bolstering" I answered.

I pictured the magical stronghold that was Camelot amd teleported. I was finally going home.

* * *

 **Camelot**

 **Regina**

I nearly collapsed when we arrived but I had to remain strong. I couldn't show weakness in front of these rag-tag bunch of idiots. I stepped in front of the gate.

"Who seeks entrance to the kingdom of Camelot?" A voice asked.

"I, Dark Archmagus and Light Mage Regina, wish passage to my homeland of Camelot. I bring with me Light Mage and current Dark One Emma Swan along with our non-magical compatriots; Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest, Snow White and Prince Charming of the Enchanted Forest, sided with the light, with their fellow light allies; Ruby, a werewolf, Granny, a former werewolf, Hook, a pirate and several dwarves" I introduced.

"Welcome home, Dark Archmagus Regina. We also accept the Dark One Emma Swan. Your non-magical companions my enter under proviso that they take the introductory tour. King Arthur will be along shortly to escort them" the voice answered.

Snow looked so aghast it was priceless. Why should she be allowed the same access as us? This was the kingdom of magic and we were mages. Magic flowed as soon as I stepped over the threshold. Here everything was effortless. Magic was akin to breathing. It had been so long since I was last here. I was at peace within these walls.

"Well met, Dark Archmagus and **Light** Mage Regina" someone said.

"Hello, Light Archmagus and Dark Knight Magus Furio" I replied.

Our titles were a mark of a respect. We could forego them with friends but they were a celebration of our achievements and status. A Mage or Ally was the lowest rank with a Magus or Tradesman, Archmagus or Master Tradesman and Master Magi or Knight being the highest. Non-magicals tended to align with one or the other spectrum of magic unlike Mages and Knights were another thing altogether. You had both the magical and non-magical variety. They were the highest in regard, risking life and limb to protect us and the kingdom. Oh it was nice to be respected and not feared for a change.

"I see you've finally transitioned then. Took you long enough" Furio said.

"To be fair I've been in the Land Without Magic for sixteen years. Twelves years without the craft and even now it is weak" I replied.

It was agonising. Part of me regretted the curse as soon as I cast it. I was cut off from the one thing that protected me and one of the few things that made me happy. When I tried to stop using magic it was like placing a soul destroying curse on my heart. I felt like a shell of the woman I used to be so I used bravado to mask my true feelings. Emotion was my worst downfall. I'd been manipulated, morphed, changed and molded numerous times into the Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest's nightmares.

"You seem more... yourself. Congratulations" he said, sincerely.

"I do. I finally feel at peace, more so here. The transition has been a challenge but it was one worth taking" I said.

"You've been out of wack nearly all of your life. You've had forbidden soul altering spells performed on you, been led astray by the previous Dark One and have suffered a lifetime of psychological pain. It is good you have finally embraced your dual nature. Now I'll escort your friends, no allies to King Arthur" he replied.

I shook my head at friends. While some may claim that liberty, the dwarves certainly weren't to be held in such high esteem in my eyes. I supposed it was time to get down to business. There would be plenty of time for chatting later. I think some dancing would be good for my soul. A magical ball was breath-taking. I couldn't wait to take Robin to one.

"Take Granny and Ruby to see Luna when you're done. Oh and tell King Arthur to watch what herbs he gathers. Honestly he nearly died. I'm off with this hopeless Mage here to see Reeve" I replied.

Granny was there for me when nobody was. She was my nurse for a time when I was young and then as a handmaiden in Leopold's Castle. She watched as my light was snuffed out and I spiralled into darkness. She did the best she could without getting killed or thrown out. In return, I granted her a favourable life in the curse. A means to support herself and Ruby. Being a werewolf was hard on Red and I knew Luna could ease the burden. She was unique.

"Why do you not wear your sigils?" he asked.

Oh. I forgot I glamoured them long ago. I was the Evil Queen. I'd come so close to breaking one of the rules of magic in my despair. I was not worthy of the title Dark Archmagus. If Merlin knew half of the things I'd done then I'd be banished.

"I am not worthy of them. Furio, you do not know what I did" I replied.

"You earned your Archmagus sigil by your merit alone. You've battled the darkness, Regina more than most. You of all people deserve it. You mean the vlash, don't you?" he said.

The forbidden. God, I regretted it the moment I did it but I couldn't resist. I wanted some sort of control over my life. I wouldn't go near soul magic when my mother tried to force me into it. I could feel just how wrong and evil it was but once I did. I thought it was the only way to free myself from my mother's grasp.

"Yes. I'm sorry, so sorry but yes once. Never again" I admitted.

"We don't speak a word of this to Merlin. Wear them with pride, stra. You made your mark. Klaving" he said.

"Klaving, bruas" I replied.

Goodbye in the tongue of the elves. The most ancient magical language. Camelot used to be in the heart of their lands. That's why this place has so much magic. It is truly the start and birthplace of the art itself. Here the possibilities of Elvish were heightened. One word could torch a good half of this place to ashes. Oh the possibilities. But enough of that. I needed to see Reeve.

I opted to walk rather than teleport. Teleporters upsetted Reeve. She didn't like surprises and was shocked easily. She also hated interrupting her work.

Emma was always asking too many questions. Where were we going? What we were we doing? Here I could pull a fireball from thin air without batting an eyelid for magic's sake.

"What are you waiting for? Open the door" demanded Emma.

"Do you want to be blasted halfway across Camelot? No, we wait" I replied.

Elvish runes floated outside the door. They spelt working but available. It wasn't a critical project then. Phew. At least if Emma had barged in then I wouldn't have gotten tossed into the sky. I rearranged and conjured some more to spell requested and sent a pulse of magic to activate them. Reeve would know it was my magical signature and get the hell up here. I didn't like waiting but Emma was even more impatient than I.

"Hey, Archmagus. What business do you have here? You're new. You'll take ages. Mantas will have to wait I suppose" said Reeve.

"I need a Light Magus sigil" I told her.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted yet. My Dark Archmagus sigil was a black apple with a red centre. I wanted something similar yet different.

"Why am I here? What's the deal with these sigils? What do I need?" Emma asked.

"It's a symbol of your status, silly. In Camelot, everyone needs one even non-magicals. I take it you're a basic Mage so you need your light and dark mage sigil. Simple" answered Reeve.

"Not quite. She's never been a Dark Mage, she's the Dark One so she needs a unique sigil" I said.

"Her? She's the new Dark One? But she exudes light magic nearly as much as Furio does. The embodiment of darkness is a Light Mage who has never controlled the dark? Magus, help us all. You do remember tonight is Samhain, Regina?" she shouted.

No. Oh Christ. This was a recipe for a bucket load of trouble. I didn't realise. Being in Storybrooke meant I was out of sync with the magical seasons and festivals. Tonight was Samhain or more commonly Halloween. The night where the gateway between the living and the dead was it its most thin. The night where the Gatekeeper could be summoned. The night where shades could materialise in the living world. Dark magic would be at its most volatile. Emma was having control issues already and no wonder. She had never tasted the darkness and it would run rampant in her. That would be a dilemma. I couldn't leave her on her own but I was one of the few that could manage her. I couldn't pass up on this chance. I would be another year until shades could appear in the mortal words. She would have to come with me then but closer proximity to the gate would make her infinitely more dangerous.

"I forgot. We will just have to risk it. I'm not waiting another year" I said.

"You will kill us all just to see him? Jesus Christ. Priorities, Gina" replied Reeve.

"We're going to see Merlin. He will provide adequate precautions" I said.

"If you say so. I suppose you'll be wanting your sigils? You're lucky Mantel gave me a few pointers on how the light side's are done" She asked.

"Yes. I've finally decided. I want an arrow piercing a red apple" I answered.

It would match my black apple symbol. I wanted my light mage symbol to symbolise the impact Robin had in my life. How he helped me transition to light magic and how he was the reason I let love back into my life.

"What the hell were you on about me destroying everything?" Emma asked.

Oh I'd forgotten she was there. Whoops. She always interjected when I was busy.

"We'll talk later, Emma. We've got a lot to do before tonight but I'll promise we'll talk about this when we meet Merlin" I replied.

We had to get our sigils ordered, then find some time in Merlin's busy schedule to meet with him, pick up our sigils and then what little time we had left to get ready for Samhain. She deserved to know yes but we simply did not have the time.

"We'd better" she said.

"Yep, I'll have the Light Mage sigil done for you. Emma?" Reeve asked.

"I don't know. I've never given symbols or pendants much thought" replied Emma.

"Give me your hands" said Reeve

She was going to do her empathetic magic thing. As well as giving her a sense of a person it helped her to understand what form their sigil could take.

"Okay" Emma replied, unsure.

Reeve recoiled when she first touched Emma's hands, not doubt because of the influx of dark magic, but still managed to keep ahold of them. Dark magic burned in Emma like a furnance as The Dark One. At least we were both transitioned to dark. Magic wasn't as effective against the same alignment. The rogue shade of Reeve's magic calmed me. She didn't feel emotions but could seek influences. Influences that would be perfect reminders slung around inhabitants' neck.

"Swan wings. White swan wings for your light mage symbol" said Reeve.

"Swan wings. Cool. My last name's Swan" replied Emma.

"I know. You're free like the swan. You don't like to be caged. Something to do with that dagger perhaps. It is the symbol of the Dark One after all. Yes, I've got it. Dark swan wings with a miniature Dark One dagger in the middle" said Reeve.

Typical excited Reeve. She loved her job and new clients. Using her gift on people was a very personal thing. I felt connected to her when she did it to me and I think she felt the same thing.

"That sounds awesome" said Emma.

"I'm glad you think so. It'll be about half an hour to an hour, Gina" replied Reeve.

Nice. I must warrant the express service. I knew some people had to wait days if she was busy.

"Adios for now, Eve" I said.

Now to see Merlin. I hoped he was available. I wanted to get some magic practise in before preparations for Samhain. I dragged Emma outside Reeve's house and teleported to Merlin's castle. Why waste time walking?

"Hello, Regina" said Merlin.

"Of course. You already knew I was coming. I suppose I don't have to explain why we're here?" I said.

"No, you don't. Now as you already know tonight is Samhain so precautions will have to be made" he answered.

"You're not going to just get The Dark One out of me?" Emma asked.

"There are many options. One of which involves transferring the darkness into a more suitable host. One with apt experience in controlling powerful entities. Another is training you to control yourself. Eventually you will need to harness your dark side. What the Apprentice did was wrong. Everyone has light and dark inside them and you need to balance both" he replied.

And didn't I know it. I'd gone the opposite way to Emma. Too much darkness and not enough light. I knew the whole time the reason why Emma was becoming irrationally angry but I had too much on my mind to help her. Oh and the fact I knew she wouldn't listen. She never has taken magic seriously and now she's the Dark One she just wants to get rid of it.

"What are we going to do for tonight? I need to be here, you do too and Furio is a gate tether" I said.

He was one of the mages in charge of summoning the gate and Gatekeeper. He, along with his fellow gate tethers, had to keep the connection from the side of the dead going for as long as the ceremony required.

"She will attend Samhain. You will teach her the basics and, under the proviso of Furio's assent your transition has gone well, she will become your apprentice" said Merlin.

What? Why on Magus' sake did he say that? Why did I want to be saddled with Emma for six hours a day? Why did I want to teach someone who hated the gifts she'd been given?

"What? Just why do you think that's a good idea? Do you want us to both be alive tomorrow?" I asked.

"You will do this, Dark Archmagus. It is your duty. You should've instructed her long ago. As the highest ranking mage in your land, it fell to you to teach her. You did not. If you ever want to become a Master Magi then you must take on an apprentice. She is your responsibility now, Regina" answered Merlin.

His eyes were blazing with light magic. The very air was crackling with his anger. I felt backed into a corner. He was pressuring me with responsibility I did not want nor ask for.

"I tried. I did what I could with the resources I had. I didn't see you brandishing How to Train a Mage 101 at me? She wanted nothing to do with magic, Merlin. How do you suppose I should've taught someone like that? I can't force someone to take up the craft well I could but I wouldn't do that to Emma. Do you think I wanted this life? Do you think I wanted to become the Evil Queen? I did my bit. I taught her the basics of light combat magic" I shouted.

"Just get this thing out of me. I didn't ask for magic. I just want to be normal for once" ordered Emma.

Didn't we all but it didn't work like that. If it did then I would be sunning myself back in Storybrooke with Robin all to myself.

"Tough luck, Ms Swan. You don't get to be. You never understood that. Magic is a part of you since the moment you were born. Taking it away would irreparably damage a part of your soul" I said.

"You just taught her how to throw a few blasts of magic not of our history, our lore. She knows little of our ways and of light magic but would she desperately needs is instruction on the dark. If she is to remain the Dark One then she needs to learn control and just what her limitations are" Merlin said, raging.

"Then pawn her off on Furio or better yet, teach her yourself if you're so concerned. Don't assign her to me like a millstone round my neck" I shouted.

"You are the Mayor of your town, are you not? She is your responsibility. Do what you should've done years ago, Regina. Goodbye" he said.

I let loose a fireball in frustration. How dare he? I did not want her. She was infuriating, insufferable, felt the need to question me all the time and precious. I simply did not know how to teach her. I knew the material yes but how to distil it down into Ms Swan's level of comprehension? The sink or swim method was all I knew but I certainly wasn't going to instruct her like my mother or Rumplestiltskin. A practical approach worked best with her but could I restrain her if she went too far? I knew I was strong, I was a Dark Archmagus after all, but she was the Dark One. I should be able to. I was at the height of my power here and I could feel my magic burning in my veins like liquid flames. The Dark One had a power source of its own so while Emma had raw power I had access to a volcano's worth of magic. The trouble was that she could access that volcano too. Two mass power sources at her disposal. I honestly didn't know if I could and that frightened me. She could destroy us all and as my apprentice it would be all my fault.

"Well that went well, didn't it?" Emma asked.

"Shut up, Ms Swan. We'll get our sigils and then have our first lesson. We need to prepare for tonight's ceremony" I replied.

"Fine" she said.

I brandished my hands to teleport us to Reeve's doorstep and barged in. We certainly couldn't afford to waste anymore time if we were to fit in a lesson.

"It's a good thing I've nearly finished your batch of sigils isn't it, Regina?" said Reeve, annoyed.

"Yes, it is. Now give me mine" I demanded.

Why did she have to be so difficult? It wasn't like I had all day.

"You'll have to wait. I still have to put the last enchantment on yours" she said.

Ugh. Hurry up. Ideally, I wanted to have some time to flex my dark magic before Furio assessed me. While I could purposely fail to get myself out of training Emma I doubt I could do it skillfully enough to fool Furio. The wash of pink energy calmed me as I focused on the final act of my sigil's enchantment. The blazing sienna encompassed my symbol and the moment it stopped and I saw it for the first time... It was perfect. In fact it was more beautiful than I'd imagined. I knew Reeve did a good job, the pendant I wore around my neck was testament to that, but she had outdone herself by far on this. The apple looked so life-like and I swear in the area where the arrow pierced the apple there were real flames burning.

"Here. All yours" she said and gave it to me.

I spent a few moments just staring at it. It was me with fire in my heart and a rage to rival the flames of hell. It was me fighting against the hungering darkness and the blackest emotions that drove me. It was me letting love back into my life and trying to hold onto myself while protecting it at all costs. I unclasped the chain around my neck and added my new sigil to the line. It was time. Time to fix my past mistakes. I'd done my best with Emma at the time but now I had to do better. We were in Camelot, the place where magic came to life. Be damned if I was going to let her fall to uncontrolled darkness. Not on my watch.

"Thanks. Come, Emma. We have work to do" I said.

"So what happens now?" Emma asked.

"First, Furio needs to assess me to confirm my transition didn't go awry. Then we can have our first lesson. Well our first lesson concerning dark magic and what that actually means" I answered.

Transitions were fraught with danger if they were done in quick sucession like I had. They were a whole host of complications that could affect me and my magic. I didn't feel like it had though. I felt more alive than ever.

"Hey, bruas. What has you so worried?" I asked, carefree.

"I saw Merlin. Magus, I've never seen him like that before" Furio said.

"Well we had an argument of sorts" I replied.

Really was he that surprised? Merlin had the patience of a saint, yes but this was me were talking about. I drove the girl who wouldn't harm a fly to form an army to drive me out the realm and kill me.

"Argument? He looked down right terrifying" said Emma.

Yes, he did. I almost for a moment though he was Gold. His punishments hurt but not too badly, Mother did far worse, it was the anger. I never knew what would send him over the edge. With my Mother I knew just what would warrant her displeasure but with him I did not. The uncertainty always unnerved me.

"He did. It was unexpected" I said.

"You did not provoke him?" He asked.

"Not to that extent. I... His eyes were crackling with magic. I didn't know what would... What would happen. I threw a fireball at him. Gods I was so angry. I'm not capable of this. I used forbidden magic, Furio. I succumbed to the blackest of magics. How am I supposed to teach her how to control the darkness? I revelled in it and it used me. My magic is a curse. I am a curse. A curse I cannot stop. Magic is all I know" I said.

This was too big for me. I couldn't teach Emma. All I would do was make things worse. I would release a Dark One worse than any other for she had untapped powers before the takeover and now the darkness would use them and she would have no defence against it. I was barely hanging onto myself. I'd won finally but for how long? I was slipping and there'd been a few times I marvelled how I still had light magic. I'd not been a year light before I transitioned back to dark. Less than twelve months compared to nearly all of my life.

"You are not a curse, Regina. What you have is a gift. You have magic to the extent that most of us couldn't dream of. You can do this, Regina. You've still retained light magic. It's a miracle. Whatever has been thrown at you, you've survived. Your darkness is not borne of greed or selfishness. It is borne of humanity" replied Furio.

Humanity? According to most of Storybrooks, I wasn't human. I was a scourge on their lives. I was both a terror and a bogeyman.

"Let's just get this over with. I have places to be" I said.

"Very well. A spar will suit our needs. One... Two... Three" he said.

Bang. Streaks of fire and gunmetal clashed. Oh this was fun. I ripped a conjured sword in half and sent it hurtling back at him. That served him right. I engulfed him in flames and he crippled me with electricity. It hurt yes but it was a good hurt. The kind of pain that made you feel alive. I breathed life into an icicle and used it to fend off some knives. I dodged his rain of axes. Letting forth a phoenix drained me but I followed through with a jet of air. With Furio set to fly towards a brick wall, I bound his body in invisible ropes.

"Yield" I demanded.

"Not quite yet, Gina" he answered and sent a wave of earthen spikes at me.

"Don't call me that" I replied and waved a shield into existance.

My phoenix still lived to torment him and I launched mounds of earth at him. Sadly he was too adept for earth-based attacks. I went back to the thing I knew best... Fire. I bent the sun to fire strikes of sunlight to blind him. In the time it took for him to shield, I struck. Pillars of lava erupted from the ground. They scorched his feet and I stopped when I heard his pained cries.

"I yield. You win as always" he said.

Of course. He always went with the same spells. I had flair with the craft. He preferred battle where quick thinking and a few grey-area spells were vital. I was more at home with sparring. I could show off my power without retribution and lord victory over my fellow sparring partner.

I turned my back and slipped into magic vision. It was so beautiful here. Strands of all sorts of colours lit up the land. I swiped my hand to block a streak of gunmetal. Furio's inevitable attempt at a sneak attack. It never worked.

"A little bit of variety next time. Honestly, you're so predictable" I said.

"Well not all of us can be a Dark Archmagus. I transitioned only a week ago back to light" he replied.

"I transitioned a few hours ago. That's so not an excuse" I said, smiling.

"You're fine, Regina but if anything happens to your magic you call me" he said.

"How exactly would I do that when my magic is exploding in my face?" I asked.

It was a valid question. Yelling halfway across Camelot was hardly going to work. He conjured a rock and enchanted it. Why?

"Here, Emma. You send magic into this and I'll come running" he answered.

Well as if that was reliable. She'd probably send hundreds of stone shards at me. I suppose it could work. Potentially my life in Emma's hands. Forgive me if I wasn't too happy about that. I would probably wind up dead because of her. I had a feeling teaching her would come to blows.

"Okay but I don't know how to do that" replied Emma.

"You'll learn" said Furio. "Adios, Gina"

"Don't call me that" I replied.

I hated that nickname. While he was my friend it encouraged those who weren't to use it. I was a Queen. I would not be addressed so formally. Then I left alone to teach Emma. This was going to be a great success.

"Forget everything you know about dark magic. Forget what I've done. Forget what Gold's done. Forget what meddling Snow and Shepard Boy have told you. Dark magic isn't evil. It is a part of us as much as light. What the Apprentice did to you was wrong. He put both you and Lily out of balance. She swam in darkness, unable to make anything good out of her life and you were smothered in light, never learning how to cope with darkness. You must learn now and quickly. You have no idea how powerful you truly are" I said.

"But I am evil. I didn't ask for magic and now I'm the Dark One" she replied.

Did anyone ask for magic? Did anyone really want to incur the repercussions of it? I was born into it, forced into it and manipulated into it. Magic was never really my choice. Would I willingly choose it? Perhaps if Cora hadn't been my mother. Magic was the only real defence I had against her and even then I was still weaker. But then I would probably choose power over a life of drudgery as a peasant. Perhaps if Daniel was with me. Everything could've been different.

"You are your own person, Emma. You control your magic not the other way around. Take my hand" I said.

I willed magic into my palm. Conduits clicked and the familiar rush of power accompanied it. Purple sparks flew and my hand began to glow.

"Whoa. Can you feel that?" Emma asked.

Making Emma believe in the benefits of dark magic was the first step. That it was a good thing to learn. Then the second major step was control. Right now she was a nuclear bomb waiting to explode.

"Yes. This is me. Try and channel some of your own" I answered.

A mottled grey and black ball of writhing shadow formed and grew until it dwarfed by far my flecks. I grasped her arm and forced my own power through her veins. The trouble was that we'd shared magic before. We were compatible. Instead of shortcircuiting her, it bolstered the shadowball. Darkness began to travel through my veins. At least she was managing to keep calm. If emotion came into play then I might not be able to stop this. Draining magic from her seemed to work. I drew more and more and released it with a stroke of my hand. Burning off the excess energy, I felt like I could breathe again.

"I... I didn't mean to" she said.

"I know. Did you feel how much magic you were using?" I asked.

For novices, usually it was a challenge to channel anything. In Emma it was the opposite, she had the raw power but lacked the finesse not to wield it wildly.

"Yeah" she replied.

"You need to tone it down. Use the bare minimum you need to get the results you want. Try again" I said.

Wisps of grey magic formed. They threatened to spill into something larger but she managed to retain control. At least she could feel what control was like. Time was running out. It was already evening and I had to prepare myself for the ceremony.

"Good. To start with if you ever need to use your magic start small and slowly feed it. Resist the temptation to fuel the fire and overload yourself. We're done for today. The ceremony is only a few hours away" I said.

"Ceremony? Where's the others? What do I do?" Emma asked.

How should I know where Snow and the rest of her merry bunch were? I wasn't omnipotent. I tipped a drop of blood into my eye. I didn't just want to see where she was but what she was feeling. As far as I knew she hated this land. I wanted to be able to revel in her discomfort. Old habits die hard. Worry assaulted me. She was anxious about my contact with Emma. She thought I would drag her down to darkness. Pah. I wouldn't mould another Evil Queen. I hated it. I hated being Queen until it became the only thing I ever knew. She was in one of the castle rooms. It was the one I set fire to because the chartreuse decor gave me a migraine.

"They have rooms in the castle. Someone will escort you when it's time. Adios" I answered and teleported her there.

She was finally out of the way. I was free from her meddling. Ah, now I just had to get ready for the ceremony. A quick change of costume and I was prepared. Prepared to meet the ghosts of my past.

* * *

Dark magic surged. There was an ethereal wind in my face and the portal was brimming with power. I hadn't done this in years.

"Manos ando drema. Cra salus jala her. Ando val ist thi curt. Suli ando Gra. Tem ando gra. Cra ando per o vin ta ando fu" the Gate Tethers chanted.

 _Manifest the dead. Let their souls' journey here. The veil is as thin as a curtain. Summon the Gatekeeper. Tether the gate. Let the past open a window to the future._

The vortex opened and the hooded Gatekeeper stepped forth over the threshold. I approached it.

"What do you ask of me, Dark Archmagus?" The Gatekeeper asked.

"I wish to see the shade of the man I once loved, Gatekeeper" I said.

"Very well. A sacrifice must be made" it replied.

It handed me the goblet and dagger of Selemon, the first Gatekeeper. I sliced the palm of my hand and squeezed to let the blood drip into the chalice. The sacrifice was accepted and then with a wave of its hand my blood morphed into the shade of Daniel.

"Hello, Regina. Why did you summon me? It's been a while since the last Samhain you did" Daniel asked.

He must've been so alone. Shades were those who could not pass on. I tried to summon the Gatekeeper myself but I just ended up nearly dying for my efforts.

"It's hard in Storybrooke. There's little magic. I tried. Believe me I tried. I wanted to tell you I'm happy. I finally managed to do what you wanted. This is Robin" I replied.

It took me a while to finally let go. To actually let myself love again. Robin was persistent I'll give him that. I tried everything I could to push him away and he just kept coming back. His determination was the thing that got through to me. He wouldn't leave. Well until he did but I couldn't blame him for Zelena's meddling.

"Err. Hello" Robin said.

"Hello. You're good for her. Anyone can see that but you hurt her. That is inexcusable" Daniel replied.

Overprotective now was he? It seemed he'd grown a menacing attitude in death.

"It is over. You cannot blame him for my sister's manipulations" I said.

"Can't I? He fell for them and chose her over you. His pretend first love over you. You think he won't do the same again?" Daniel asked.

"I won't. I swear on my life" replied Robin.

I knew that. I wouldn't have given him a second chance otherwise. I didn't forgive easily and I wouldn't open myself up to that kind of heartbreak again.

"If you break her heart again I will haunt your shade and shadow. I grant thee peace, Regina. My wish is accomplished. You're a lucky man, Robin of Locksley" said Daniel.

"The luckiest" replied Robin.

He was fading. Daniel was disappating into the afterlife. I wouldn't be able to reach him there. I wouldn't be able to see him again.

"Daniel. Goodbye" I said,

"Goodbye, Gina" he replied.


End file.
